Chapter Text
Seoul Institute of the Arts
Band Jazz practice 7:00 pm
“Dude, you can’t be missing practice like this, last time director Hwang Inho almost threw a chair at the trumpet section because you skipped,” Ju Woong states, looking too preoccupied with someone else’s business.
Look Namgyu has been missing a shit ton of rehearsals, but to be honest, they’re just wasting his time, plus director Hwang Inho didn’t actually throw a chair at the trumpet section, keyword on almost. “Do I look like I give half a shit? I have better things to do anyway,” not even 5 minutes into rehearsal and people are already on his dick, what the actual fuck, when did this become a stripper club. “Ugh, you’re impossible, Namgyu,” Ju Woong said with a sigh as he sat down in the seat in front of the piano. “You know it, yet you started the conversation,” Namgyu said as he sat on the seat of the piano, “Fuck you, dude”.
Whatever, band kids have a talent for acting really stuck up when they’re at the bottom of the social pyramid. “Hello, please take a seat and start warming up, we will be doing Autumn Leaves shortly, oh! Nice of our pianist to finally show up to rehearsal,” can’t a guy catch a breath today? “Hey, teach,” he said as he was cracking his fingers. “What was so important for you to skip rehearsal, huh?, You know we have at least five different people who could kill for your position here in the band. “Are you desperate enough to accept anyone just because I ditched six times?” Pretty bitchy, but what’s so wrong with missing a few practices? A guy has bills to pay. “Look, start taking this position seriously, talent isn’t everything if your behavior doesn’t back it up,” he said before handing the younger man the score. Practice was going to feel eternal today
“Remember we have a presentation on the ceremony at the end of the semester so we will be seeing these lasts songs every rehearsal since the trombones can’t get the starting measures right” a sigh of relief fills the room as the clock strikes 9:30 pm, it was about damn time his fingers are cramping and there’s only one motherfucker using deodorant and sadly its him it’s also getting late and he needs to be out of here asap. “Namgyu, please stay after practice.” Are you fucking
“Didn’t know he was the teacher's pet with that attitude,” said Ju Woong. Did luck leave his side today, or was everyone on it to make tonight’s rehearsal impossible? “Didn’t know you could get a solo with the skill of a 5-year-old, but I guess they’re making everyone feel included this year,” Namgyu said as he placed the scores into his bag. “Don’t you get tired of insulting everybody?” “Turns me on, actually,” he said before making his way to the director's chair.
Chatter died down as people started leaving the practice room, until there were only director Hwang Inho and Namgyu. Couldn’t he have picked another day to nag him about missing?- Was this karma? God, look, I know I'm not the greatest guy out there, but please
“Look Namgyu you’re our most talented musician and its crystal clear to me at least that you know this, I’ve given you every solo that there is and put up with the snarkiest attitude these pasts years so why not make a change, not only for the band but also for you” maybe he was right and maybe on a good day he could’ve thought about what his precious director said to him but not today
“Teach with all due respect, if I'm bored I'm bored, I get the job done nonetheless, keep polishing the rest of the band, and when you’re done with them you call me, we do an impeccable show and I dip again, yeah?” “But na-“ “Great talk, teach, see you maybe tomorrow?” He said as he was closing the door. Fucking finally, if he stayed any longer in that smelly room, it was going to give him a hell of a migraine.
“Oh, hey Namgyu!” Said his roommate, Min-su, if there was a physical description of a virgin, his sweet roommate would be it. “Hey Minsu, how are you?” “I'm actually pretty goo-“ “cool” not trying to be a dick here, but it's getting late and he needs to be at Pentagon at 10:00 if he wants to be a little tipsy before his set. “Have you seen my DJ mixer?” He really needs to clean up his side of the dorm; the mess is starting to get out of control. “Which one was that?” Ok nevermind.
“So…. this DJ thing is really working out for you, I'm really glad, Namgyu!” Oh yeah well if you didn’t know before becoming one of the main attractions of club pentagon he used to be a sad jazz piano player, in one of those uni parties he took way too much perc and buzzballz and started messing with the dj set up, apparently he didn’t make a fool out of himself and a week later a frat payed him to play at their party. It was honestly pretty fun to make music and have people look at him like he had painted the stars. Plus, he could make any arrangements with the DJ controller and didn’t need sweaty trombone players. So yeah, he found something he actually enjoyed and wasn’t forced to do, and he was getting paid! Well paid, how lucky!.
“Would be pretty damn stupid to still be working if it didn’t work, huh, Minsu?” Where the hell was that shirt he swore he just saw? “Well, I guess you’re right.” Found it! “I'm always right, I thought you already knew that.” Now, he just needed to find those rings. “Ehhhh Namgyu?” Fuck where did he leave them? “Yes?” Why was Minsu sweating bullets? Did he pee his pants?.
“Can you get me an autograph today?” he finally lost it. “Elaborate Minsu” found one ring; only five more to find. “My favorite rapper is at Pentagon and I was wondering if you could get me an autograph or a video maybe..” Ohhhhh min-su was creaming his pants because of that “sure man just don’t cry if he turns out a bitch and says no” found it finally.
“Really? Thank you so much, you’re the best!” Aw, it's kind of cute if he wasn’t such a loser. “Whatever, I'm leaving, see you,” he said, taking a final look in the mirror to adjust his hair, “Take care, Namgyu,”. Cold air hit his face like a slap as he got off the bus and made his way into Pentagon. He could smell cheap cologne and sneak in liquor from here. Seems like the club’s busier than usual. He gave his ID and made his way into the bar. “Hey Nam, long time no see!”
Ah Kang-Daeho is probably the only good thing out of this club, handsome, great kisser, and even better fuck. “Hi Daeho, can you give me an upper?” he said, giving the bigger man a pleading look. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, plus your set doesn’t start in 10?” Is he dense? There are so many minutes in 10 minutes. “Your point is?” God, sometimes he was way too good. “Fine here” “Aren’t you such a good bartender” Namgyu said as he was taking out his laptop to download more music, an idea just burning out of his brain. “Not trying to be rude here, but aren’t you supposed to have your music already downloaded?” Daeho said as he was making a drink for himself.
“Already have it downloaded genius, but min-su told me his favorite wack rapper is here tonight and told me to get him an autograph the nerve of that guy” he said as he took the uppers with a shot of cranberry vodka “im not getting it” “Point is, I heard that guy’s music and it sucks im going to show min-su he should be asking me for an autograph and not that guy” aren’t uppers just the greatest invention of man kind.
“Leave you to it then, Namgyu, good luck tonight.” fuck luck, he doesn't need it, he has this in the bag. This set is going to be awesome, he’s going to humiliate two virgins in one night and get paid!.
“Hey Namgyu, the space is ready for you to set up quickly,” Jung Hee says as she connects his laptop to one of the main DJ mixers. “You have this place packed. What did you tell them I was going to do a line mid-performance?” Namgyu responds as he places his turntable on the table on stage. “We have an underground celebrity! He’s the second-best thing that has happened to us after you, of course.” Right well, he’s about to show her why he’s number 1. “Really…” “Are you all set?” “Yes, you can go now, enjoy the show.”
This is going to be so fun